Okay, last week’s Hemmings Six Degrees of Automotive Separation Challenge didn’t exactly sizzle. Except for a couple of the comments that made me hungry for breakfast. Luckily, current events have given me a chance to redeem myself. You see, news broke earlier this week that Volkswagen had bought a 20 percent stake in Suzuki, so that means we have a new connection to explore.

So, let’s play. This week’s challenge will thus be a slight variation of the fox-and-hound type challenge. As with the standard fox-and-hound challenge, whoever comments first gets to suggest another automaker (a “fox”) to link to VW or Suzuki (the “hounds”) in six degrees or less. However, in this variation, anybody who answers the challenge can choose either VW or Suzuki as the hound. Bonus Internet points if you can link the fox to both hounds separately.

Also, if you prefer the more traditional Hemmings Six Degrees of Automotive Separation challenge format, feel free to comment with the myriad ways VW and Suzuki could have been connected prior to this new partnership.

Chrysler had a joint venture with GM in the New Process/New Venture Gear transmission plant in the 1990s. (it now belongs mostly to Magna)

GM owned part of Suzuki and sold several Suzuki models rebadged as Chevrolet or Geo. (such as the Swift or Tracker.) I didn’t know this, but in the British and Australian markets they were also badged as Holden, Bedford, and Vauxhall.

Oh well, let’s try this, then. Suggest a new fox. Now, I could suggest a Fox, but that’s just a Volkswagen, so it would be too easy. Let’s go with Austin/Morris/That-whole-BL thing for Suzuki to connect to.

Well, the Ford V4 used by SAAB is certainly interesting. You can also get to Ford through Mazda because several Suzuki models were sold as Mazdas in Japan (a couple as Subaru and Nissan, too.) For example, the Suzuki Vitara was sold as a Mazda Proceed in Japan, and the Alto as a Mazda Carol and a Nissan Pino.

From 1989 to 1996, Volkswagen sold a rebadged Toyota Hilux in Europe as the Volkswagen Taro. Here’s a picture.http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/95/VWTaro1991.jpg
Toyota has/had a joint venture with GM at the NUMMI plant in Fremont, California from 1984 until…well, just recently.
GM, of course, owned a chunk of Suzuki and badge engineered several of their vehicles for their compact lines.

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles bought into the heavy truck manufacturer Scania throughout the 2000′s and by 2008 had majority ownership of Scania. We don’t get Scania’s here in the States but they are a big deal in the rest of the world. Scania had merged with SAAB in 1969. GM still apparently owns SAAB since the Koenigsegg deal fell through (Spyker, anyone?) GM —> Suzuki

Subaru used the three cylinder Suzuki Swift engine in its Justy
Saab built a version of the Subaru’s WRX briefly
Saab got Triumph to design the slant four used in the 99
Michelotti styled a lot of Triumphs including the Spitfire
Michelotti worked for Vignale who styled the Tatra 613
Tatra sued Volkswagen and won for VW stealing various designs during WWII

VW -> SEAT: Volkswagen owns 100% of SEAT
SEAT -> FIAT: FIAT license built FIAT cars, even after the acquisition the Panda was built as Marbella
FIAT -> Suzuki: FIAT and Suzuki share engines and whole cars (the Croma is based on the Vectra platform and uses Holden engines)

VW > Suzuki: The Generation II Swift was first marketed in North America in two trim levels in 1989; 3-door GTi and 5-door GLX. The GTi name was changed to GT in 1990 because of an out-of-court settlement with Volkswagen of America over their similarly named GTI.